Calda House

A ruined Georgian mansion located on the eastern shore of Loch Assynt, a mile (1.5 km) north northwest of Inchnadamph in the NW Highlands, Calda House was built in 1726-27 for Kenneth MacKenzie of Assynt, who loved at nearby Ardvreck Castle. His wife, Frances, had persuaded him to construct a modern replacement for the cold and austere castle. This substantial rubble-built house once comprised two storeys and a large attic within a double-gabled roof. It was the first mansion in the area - designed for comfort rather than defence, even including a garden - and was very grand, so much so that it put the family into debt. They were forced to put the house up for sale and a struggle for control of Assynt ensued between the MacKenzies and the Earl of Sutherland.

In 1737 some MacKenzie supporters set light to Calda House to prevent it being used by the Sutherlands. It burned to the ground and was never re-built. In 2004, Historic Assynt completed the consolidation of the ruins.


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